Poetryzine Magazine presents the interview with the Italian poetess Francesca Innocenzi
Dear Francesca, thank you for talking to the Poetryzine Magazine.
Present yourself to our readers. What are the key points of your writing career.
Hello everyone and thanks for the invitation. I have a degree in classical literature and PhD in Greek and Latin poetry in late antiquity. I have published collections of poetry, short stories and two short novels. I have directed poetry series and edited anthological publications. I am editor of the poetry quarterly «Il Mangiaparole» and collaborate with various literary sites. I have conceived and direct the poetry award Paesaggio interiore.
When you first fell in love with poetry?
I wrote my first poem when I was seven. My father, a teacher, told me about Leopardi. Since then, poetry has always accompanied me, with periods of detachment, as happens with all loves.
What poetry means to you?
For me poetry is sharing. It is not necessary for the reader to understand everything, the important thing is that the mood or the underlying message arrives.
What is your poetic inspiration?
For me, inspiration is a sort of seismic event that occurs at a precise moment, but arises from a series of telluric motions, from an energy that has been accumulating over time. However, in poetry, in writing, not everything ends there: revision, the work of filing is essential.
Which poet or poetess (whether Italian or foreign) made an impact on your poetry the most (if any)?
Every poetic reading leaves something, especially if it is true poetry. For me, an essential point of reference has always been Ungaretti.
Tell us a bit about your literary and cultural activism. You established a poetry award and you are the editor of a poetry magazine. What is this experience like?
In poetry as in life, nothing is done alone. I like that poetry is an opportunity for exchange and sharing. I love feeling part of a poetic community, always maintaining my independence.
How do you see the poetry of future, especially in the digital era? Will humans still write poetry?
I am convinced that poetry will always exist. it is fluid and adapts its shape to the container, but its essence is immutable.
Can you tell us more about your upcoming plans in regards to your poetry career?
A small anthological collection of poems and a short novel are about to be released. Then in 2023 there will be other news. From this moment I would like to devote myself above all to non-fiction writing.